Performance Optimization of Luminescent Solar Concentrators under Several Shading Conditions

Paolo Bernardoni, Giulio Mangherini, Marinela Gjestila, Alfredo Andreoli and Donato Vincenzi
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Paolo Bernardoni: Physics and Earth Sciences Department via Saragat 1, University of Ferrara, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
Giulio Mangherini: Physics and Earth Sciences Department via Saragat 1, University of Ferrara, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
Marinela Gjestila: Physics and Earth Sciences Department via Saragat 1, University of Ferrara, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
Alfredo Andreoli: Physics and Earth Sciences Department via Saragat 1, University of Ferrara, 44122 Ferrara, Italy
Donato Vincenzi: Physics and Earth Sciences Department via Saragat 1, University of Ferrara, 44122 Ferrara, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-22

Abstract: The need of clean energy is constantly increasing, and Building Integrated PhotoVoltaic (BIPV) technologies represent valuable assets to expand even further the photovoltaic market. Thanks to BIPVs. a new concept of local electric microgrid will probably emerge as this kind of technology can turn buildings from energy wells to energy sources. Luminescent Solar Concentrator (LSC) panels are perfect to achieve this goal, indeed, contrary to standard flat PhotoVoltaic (PV) modules, they can be exploited in transparent or semi-transparent building façades. Thus, the purpose of this work was the optimization of the performance of LSC panels for BIPV applications. Being an application-oriented study, we paid particular attention to the scalability of the assembling process and the use of LSC slabs functionalized only with widely available organic commercial dyes and high-performance commercial silicon solar cells. The electrical and optical performance of the LSC panels were firstly simulated and then, once the most promising configurations were identified, the respective prototypes were assembled to compare the simulation results with the experimental measurements. These analyses were performed both under uniform illumination and in some relevant shading configurations typical for BIPV devices in operating conditions. The obtained results show that LSC panels that employ PV cells coupled with reflective films can yield a higher efficiency than a traditional system with cells placed along four sides.

Keywords: luminescent solar concentrators; buildings integrated photovoltaics; shading; energy harvesting; solar energy; concentration systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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